Dartford moved into the playoff places this week and will aim to keep up their form this weekend at last season’s finalists Hampton and Richmond Borough.
The Darts climbed up to seventh in the National South standings on Tuesday night with a win over Oxford City at Princes Park. Next up is a trip to the Beveree where they drew 2-2 last season after finding themselves 2-0 down. Max Kretzschmer’s double inside the first half an hour had the Beavers in control, however Dartford hit back with goals from Andy Pugh and Elliot Bradbrook either side of the interval.
Adam Flanagan and Jamie Coyle guided Dartford to a fifth win in five when they beat Oxford City 3-2 with their side netting three first half goals. After a ten day rest, the starting eleven was unchanged and the respite helped the Darts race out of blocks inside five minutes. Andre Coker scored his first goal for the club and ten minutes later Jordan Wynter doubled the lead to record his first goal too. Oxford City’s Joe Oastler headed in two minutes after Wynter scored. Charlie Sheringham added the third on half an hour nodding home Ben Greenhalgh’s cross. The visitors pushed to get back in the game and made the Darts work hard for the victory in the second half, the Hoops made it 3-2 through Zac McEachran.
Jamie Coyle spoke to www.kentonline.co.uk after the game, he said: “In the first half we were electric, it was probably our best first-half performance of the season and we were unfortunate not to get four or five goals”, he added: “Oxford City obviously travelled a bit, coach journeys in the last three days, and we assumed they were going to start slowly. We made sure we came out of the traps really quickly”.
However Coyle admits his side ‘looked like a tired team’ in the second half but praised his players commitment, he commented: “It’s testament to the players because although Oxford had lots of possession in the final third and our 18-yard box, the players were putting their bodies on the line and defending for their lives”. Dartford have shown their capability in recent weeks to perform well, however they have struggled to go the full distance in games, Coyle exclaimed: “We’ve just got to concentrate on getting some good performances out there in terms of the whole game”, he continued: “We’re nowhere near the finished article as you could see in the second half on Tuesday but the boys are working hard for the club”.
Dartford could make it three consecutive wins in the league against opponents who have lost form since their F.A Cup run started back in September. Hampton and Richmond Borough’s, cup run ended cruelly against Oldham Athletic on Monday night and have seen a dip in form since entering the competition back in September. The Middlesex club have managed just one point out of the last 15 available and have dropped to sixteenth, but they are only six points behind Dartford with a game in hand.
Coyle on is expecting a tough contest, he commented: “They’ve got some good players going forward and they’ll pose a constant threat. But if we show the desire like we did on Tuesday and have a bit more composure when things aren’t going our way, we know we’ve got the quality to match teams like that”.
Last season’s playoff finalists were in the title running, up until the Good Friday mud bath at Princes Park last term. That day Alfie Pavey scored a dramatic last-minute winner and from then on, the Beavers couldn’t keep pace with the Darts and Havant and Waterlooville.
Alan Dowson left the club in the summer to take over at Woking and in came former Hendon boss Gary McCann. Like Dartford, wholesale changes have been made to the squad and after picking up one point in the opening three matches, Hampton and Richmond Borough moved up to third by collecting six wins and a draw from the next seven games. Since mid-September, the Middlesex club have lost four out of the last five in the National South.
Former Charlton Athletic striker Chris Dickson will be one to watch having scored nine goals in 15 league appearances. The 33-year-old who represented Ghana on two occasions was signed from Chelmsford City in the summer.
Head to Head
Hampton and Richmond Borough wins: 4 / Dartford wins: 5 / Draws: 1
Current League Form
| Hampton & Richmond (LDLLLW) | Dartford (WWLWWW) | ||||
| Oxford City | H | 2-4 | Oxford City | H | 3-2 |
| Eastbourne Borough | A | 2-2 | Gloucester City | A | 2-1 |
| Hungerford Town | A | 0-2 | Truro City | A | 1-3 |
| Wealdstone | A | 1-2 | Dulwich Hamlet | H | 2-1 |
| Billericay Town | H | 0-2 | Chippenham Town | A | 2-1 |
| Truro City | A | 2-0 | Weston-super-Mare | H | 2-1 |
Previous Meetings
| 30.03.2018 | Dartford | 1 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 0 |
| 02.09.2017 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 2 | Dartford | 2 |
| 17.04.2017 | Dartford | 3 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 1 |
| 29.08.2016 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 4 | Dartford | 1 |
| 21.01.2012 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 1 | Dartford | 3 |
| 20.08.2011 | Dartford | 2 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 1 |
Stats
Dartford are top of the form guide over the last six matches picking up 15 points from a possible 18. Hampton and Richmond Borough are down in nineteenth having racked up just four points.
All of Dartford’s away wins (3) in the National South this season have been 2-1.
Dartford have conceded the fewest number of goals in the last half hour of National South matches. The Darts have let in just three goals after the 60th minute.
Hampton and Richmond Borough have scored more goals (8) in the fifteen minutes before half-time than any other club in the league this campaign. In that same period Dartford have conceded the most (7).
Only three players have scored more goals in the National South than Chris Dickson this season. Jake Robinson (Billericay Town) leads the way with 12 goals, followed by Maz Kretzschmar of Woking and Jamie Reid of Torquay United, both on ten.
On This Day
Dartford were denied victory in the final minute against Southport on this day in 2012. Elliot Bradbrook scored twice put the Darts in front, but the Sandgrounders equalised through Carl Akrigg then Karl Ledsham. In 2007, Dartford lost 2-0 away to Redbridge in the Isthmian Division One North, Ryan Hayes scoring for the Darts. The last win the Darts recorded on 17 November was 28 years ago in the Kent Senior Cup first round against Welling United, the game ended 1-0.
DATE: Saturday 17th November 2018
VENUE: Jezzards Beveree Stadium, Beaver Close, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2BX
KICK OFF: 15:00pm
TURNSTILES: Open from 12:30pm
ADMISSION:
Adults: £13
Concessions: £8
U16’S £3
U5’S FREE
FACILITIES: Bar and food open from 12:30pm
MATCH UPDATES: Full coverage will be on twitter, @dartfordfc
COACH: departure time 11:00am, £15 members, £17 non-members – To make your booking, please speak to Mick Austin either by calling/texting on 07969 181796.
DIRECTIONS:
By Road, from the North and West
Exit the M3 at junction 1 (Sunbury Cross – signposted for Hampton Court), and then follow the A308 towards Kingston. Continue on the A308, past Kempton Park Racecourse, and as you enter Hampton, turn first left into Percy Road. Continue along Percy Road, and then turn right into Station Road just before the level crossing, continuing for quarter of a mile. Beaver close is on your left hand side opposite the garage.
By road, from the East
Follow the A3 southbound, and exit onto the A243 (…signposted Sandown Park, Esher, Staines). At the Scilly Isles roundabout, follow the A309 (Hampton Court), crossing over the Thames, with Hampton Court Palace on your right. Turn left onto the A308 towards Staines and follow this for a mile, and then take the second right into Thames Street. Then turn immediately left into Station Road, and Beaver Close is on your right hand side.
By train
The nearest station is Hampton (London), not to be confused with nearby Hampton Wick, or Hampton Court stations. Hampton is on the London Waterloo to Shepperton line, and is served by South Western Railway twice hourly on weekdays and Saturdays. The journey from London Waterloo takes roughly forty minutes. If coming from London, exit Hampton Station from the platform your train alights at. Turn left and continue following the road as it passes the village green to the right, then the Worlds End Public House to the left. The stadium is on the left-hand side in Beaver Close, just past the old police station building. Total journey time from the station: about five minutes. To plan your journey or check if engineering work will affect your travel please visit South Western Railways website.
By bus
The following bus routes serve the local area, for more information on the route click the bus number, or to plan your journey visit the Transport for London journey planner
111 – Kingston to Heathrow Central
216 – Kingston to Staines
R68 – Kew Retail Park to Hampton Court